The McGangBang ranks up there in the holy pantheon of WTF. It's a sandwich made from a double cheeseburger and a McChicken sandwich — where you put an entire McChicken sandwich inside a double cheeseburger. It's a creative manipulation of existing menu items, and an exercise in frugality: taking two items off of the Dollar Menu and creating an entirely new sandwich for a total of $2.16. Truly, it's a sandwich that's more than the sum of its parts.

The naming, of course, is somewhat obscene — "gangbang" is defined as "sexual intercourse with multiple partners in turn or at the same time." It's illicit in more ways than one — chicken and beef most definitely make for an unnatural pairing.

In addition, it's sort of a subversive act for people to order it by name, as well as a thrill to confound the McDonald's employee with an order for a McGangBang — so much so that people are documenting their experiences at drive-thrus and counters on YouTube (see the many, many videos after the jump).

In some locations, the McGangBang appears to have become part of the McDonald's employee lexicon — explanation is unnecessary — they know how to make it, much like the off-the-menu items at In-N-Out.

An oft-repeated quote from user DasKosmischeVonUT on the VWVortex forums sums it up:

It's kind of like having a threesome with two ugly chicks. While it's happening you're stoked, because hey threesome!!! But once you're finished it kinda sinks in about what you've done.

We just had to do some research — we searched high and low, with Google, messageboards, YouTube, Flickr, and Twitter. Its origins are elusive — even how it's made varies — but what we do know is that it dates back to at least 2006. Herein we collect every bit of information we could find:

Update: McDonald's got back to us and provided an official statement (after the jump).

The Earliest Appearance of the McGangBang

The earliest appearance of the term McGangBang was May 26, 2006, on a page on Urban Dictionary devoted to the McGangBang. User jenifurr wrote that it was "originally started at Daytona Beach ISB McDonalds" — but this version used two cheeseburgers and a spicy chicken sandwich (total of $3.21). User McWayne posted on October 19, 2008, saying that it was made with a double cheeseburger instead of two cheeseburgers.

Incidentally, October 19 was the same date that the first video of the McGangBang appeared on YouTube (see below).

McGangBang on MySpace

The McGangBang even has a MySpace page — the earliest comment is from July 11, 2006. Oddly, there's a whole political theme, as though the McGangBang is running for office: "Mcgangbang is working hard for you!!!! VOTE MCGANGBANG-2008"
There's even a video of a commercial urging you to vote for the "loyal friend" that's "always fulfilling" (it also includes an appearance by Barbara Bush).

Successfully Ordering a McGangBang by Name

On November 21, 2008, a thread was started on the Nike Talk forums ("The ultimate online sneaker community") — user tmay407 in Arlington, Texas, posted pictures after successfully ordering a McGangBang by name:

The person working the drive-thru said, "Wait...did you just ask for a McGangbang?" I replied, "Yes...yes I did."The guy says, "That's a double cheeseburger with a McChicken in between, right?"

The same photographs and text later appeared on the forum Houston Imports (a car forum).

The Spread of the McGangBang on Messageboards

What's interesting is how knowledge of the McGangBang spread mostly via messageboards, sprouting out from the passionate subcultures of video gaming, sneaker-lovers, and car enthusiasts. Here are the earliest mentions on forums we could find:

McGangBang on YouTube

The popularity of the McGangBang also spread through YouTube. Here's a selection of videos of people ordering and enjoying the sandwich:

October 19, 2008: The First McGangBang Video on YouTube (Drive-Thru)

December 1, 2008: The "First" McGangBang in New York City (Drive-Thru)

December 1, 2008: Eating a McGangBang

December 1, 2008: Another McGangBang Eating Video

December 4, 2008: Ordering a McGangBang at the Counter (Successfully)

December 6, 2008: Failing to Get a McGangBang, Going to Burger King for a WhopGangBang

User Flip4lfe19 on YouTube documented their two of their three attempts to get a McGangBang at different McDonald's drive-thrus (attempt #2 and attempt #3). They gave up, and went to Burger King instead, and successfully ordered a WhopGangBang:

January 4, 2009: The McGangBang and the All-New 'McWhitey'

Innovation never stops: user Frost2ko uploaded a video where people got together and ordered McGangBangs and the their own invention, the McWhitey: a Filet-O-Fish patty in between two McChicken patties with the Filet-O-Fish white sauce:

McGangBang On Flickr

As of this writing, surprisingly, there are only 14 images of the McGangBang on Flickr.

The earliest appearance of the McGangBang, however, was on November 15, 2008, uploaded by drewgstephens:

November 15, 2008: left, right (note the Obama posters in the background)

February 16, 2009: Photograph by namillionairee, who claims that they "ordered it like that."

McGangBang on Twitter

Mentions of the McGangBang on Twitter have only recently picked up steam — but the first mention of it was on December 21st, 2008 by _CyC_.

McGangBang on This Is Why You're Fat

What will likely break the McGangBang into the big-time is appearing on This Is Why You're Fat in a reblog of a post from gree(blue)n from January 30, 2009.

Official Statement From McDonald's

We contacted McDonald's to get an official statement regarding the McGangBang, and this is what they emailed us:

“McDonald’s loves to hear from our valued guests, especially when they customize and create meal combinations to fit their personal taste preferences – no matter how unique!

Whether it’s requesting an Egg McMuffin without cheese or a Big Mac with extra secret sauce, McDonald’s is proud to satisfy our customers’ requests and provide them with a variety of great-tasting meals every time they visit our restaurants.”

Danya Proud, Spokesperson

McDonald’s USA

Bonus: the Unprotected McGangBang

There's also an "Unprotected McGangBang" — Urban Dictionarycalls it "different than McGangBang because there is a spicy mcchicken instead of a mcchicken."

22 Comments

I was asked "Straight-up, or unprotected McGangBang? Single-Bun, or Dual?

They used onion rings instead of fries on the Superdoublecheh. I dunno' where they got THAT from, everyone knows a SuperDoubleCheh is a layer of fries in a Double cheeseburger, with additional ketshup to motar them in there.

The lady didn't know what a suicide was, but the manager recognized the old term for a mixed drink, and had her ring up a medium softdrink.

Yeah, I'm lying, and I'm not nearly cool enough to go off-menu like that. The SuperDoubleCheh is something I used to always do when I had fries.. especially Burger King's nasty fries, since they aren't enjoyable by themselves. It's awesome though.

However, I DO still order a Bacon Quad from BurgerKing, even though it's no longer listed.

this fad is nothing new. Local friends and I were concocting sandwiches at various fast food facilities since pre 1995. The kids at hardees would let us in the back to make our own food in exchange for a spliff.

One that will always be fond in memory is the land, sea and air special. It is a quarter pounder patty, mcChicken patty and a fish patty on one bun with cheese. not particularly good.

i've been making something similar to this, except mine is 1 mcdouble with the top bun taken off, 1 mcchicken put on top of that, and another mcdouble with the bottom bun taken off. i've always called it the mcgutrape. eat one and you'll find out why. want to be a super lush? try it with fries in between every layer.

At one time I worked at Jack in the Box - we would take the "Canadian Bacon" from the Breakfast Jacks and add them to the Jumbo Jacks to make a "Moon Burger" - which, at one time, was available in Tomorrowland at Disneyland.

Interesting. I get that the recorded history of the McGangBang only goes back to May of 2006. However I know for a fact it existed in 2003. I was introduced to the McGangBang during my senior year of highschool in late 2003. This was in Northern Virginia. I wonder how far it really goes back, because i doubt it started here.

You have to get your facts straight here. The term McGangBang was created at Bradley University in Illinois. It then traveled to Illinois State University, where they have gone as far as to advertise the McGangBang. It has always been a double cheeseburger stuffed with a McChicken, including both buns and both meats. Illinois State University is now considering changing its school mascot to the ISU McGB's to honor the term, while keeping it politically correct.

In 1998 a McGangBang rally was held on the Illinois State quad, handing out over 2,300 free McGangBang's and was featured on Fox News.

This is nothing guys. Everyone knows that this craze has been around for decades. My friends and I were ordering custom sandwiches in the early 1960's. It was the greatest memory of my life.

My father was the manager of Mcdonald's and he let us run amuck and unsupervised in the kitchen. It was truly a sight to behold. I once put chicken, fish, 2 pound burger patties, cheese, fancy sauce, dog food, and animal semen all on one sandwich. I called it the McSkullFuckMe. Everyone in my local area knew about it. I ate one, once a day for a year, and now I am morbidly obese. It gained such notoriety and was so potent that it is now illegal in nine countries, including the United States.

I believe the ones in NC are the best haha. The chicken is different from what is on the mcchicken and there is not bun between the chicken and the burger. Besides you guys never mention the Mac sauce haha one of the best parts.

BULL SHIT!!! This is a Stoner Burger. McGangBang? WTF? In Nevada its not simply a McChicken, its a hot and spicy. So when you combine the nice gratifying taste of your double cheese burger and the spicy kick of the hot and spicy it creates a very neutral satisfying taste. Add a sweet and sour sauce on top of that and you got yourself one orgasmic burger. AKA STONER BURGER

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